The present invention relates to a home automation system (HAS) for automatically executing operations in the home. The system includes a computer for analyzing information corresponding to a particular control status and a monitor for displaying such information. More particularly, the present invention relates to a home automation system having a user controlled definition function capable of providing an easy-to-use graphic user interface (GUI) between a user and the home automation system, so that the user can define and set each control status.
Generally, home automation systems (HAS) include all systems that control communication terminals or electrical appliances in the home and have a security function for maintaining proper safety in the home. Such home automation systems typically analyze a current control status by evaluating outputs from a wide variety of sensors, generate a warning signal corresponding to the status and then control electrical appliances in response to the user's control. Furthermore, conventional home automation systems display the control and security status of the electrical appliances on a provided monitor where it can be controlled in accordance with the user's inputs.
One such conventional home automation system is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,086,385 entitled Expandable Home Automation System issued on Feb. 4, 1992 to Launey et al. This patent discloses a graphic user interface and a control circuit in which a user is capable of performing a desired operation after selecting appliances to be controlled on a monitor. That is, Launey et al. '385 provides a system capable of checking the status of various kinds of electrical appliances and the state of security in the home using the monitor. The electrical appliances displayed are selected using a cursor or a mouse, thus allowing the operation of corresponding electrical appliances to be controlled.
The home automation system disclosed in Launey et al. '385, however, only displays previously stored graphic information and then performs designated functions. Accordingly, there are disadvantages in that names for electrical appliances to be controlled can not be defined by the user and sequential control of a plurality of electrical appliances can not be performed.
Another conventional home automation system is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,989,081 entitled Home--Bus--Information System issued to Miyagawa et al. on 29 Jan. 1991. In this invention, a home-bus-information display system is arranged such that the control status of each of a plurality of home appliances can be monitored and displayed to allow a viewer to evaluate the control status of each of the appliances. While this invention provides a user with centralized control over designated appliances, it fails to provide the user with the ability to select names for the appliances and sequentially control the appliances. Accordingly, we believe that this system can be improved.
A more recent effort towards home automation is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,237,305 entitled Home Bus System issued to Ishikuro et al. on 17 Aug. 1993. This system enables monitoring and control of electrical appliances through the use of various sensors. Emergencies and irregular conditions concerning the appliances are sensed by the sensors and appear on the screen of a visual controller in the form of pictographs. Data regarding these pictographs are stored in a memory, and once stored are read from the memory and displayed on the screen to alert the user of a particular condition. While this invention provides users with an adequate monitoring system, we again recognize that it fails to provide the user with the ability to select names for the appliances and sequentially control the appliances.